After a confusing bath spent testing out whatever shower products he came across, Solomon wiped himself dry before stepping out of the bathroom. For someone like him, who had spent most of his life using a simple dipper and a bucket of water, showers and bathtubs weren't exactly his forte. Moreover, confusing words like "conditioner" and "bath foam" made him rethink everything he thought he knew about bathing. Nonetheless, after a bit of experimenting and relying on past experiences from big gigs in Solaris, he managed to clean himself up reasonably well.
"Young Master Solomon?" A female voice called through the door, pulling him out of his stupor.
"Uh... Yeah?" he replied, quickly rummaging through the drawers for a change of clothes.
"I brought you a change of clothes. Would you like me to help you change?" she asked, freezing Solomon in his tracks.
"What?! Uhh... No..." He cleared his throat before approaching the door to look through the peephole.
"Please, just leave it by the door. And please just give me new change of clothes. I can change my own clothes. Thank you" he whispered as he peeked outside.
Through the lens, he saw a middle-aged woman in a maid's uniform carrying what appeared to be the Ars academy uniform.
"Okay, Young Master. I will be off to the side if you need me," she replied, bending down to place the uniform on the floor. She then stepped to the side, out of the door's immediate path.
Seeing this, Solomon quickly cracked the door open, snatched the clothes, and immediately shut it again.
"Whew..." he sighed in relief.
He had heard about the privileges of the nobility and how they were treated in their homes. He had already found the culture weird just from hearing about it, but now that he was experiencing it firsthand, he was absolutely certain he wasn't fit for this kind of life whatsoever.
After a quick glance at the clock, he decided not to dwell on the topic any longer. Instead, he immediately searched through the drawer filled with personal care items. Although he didn't know much about them, he could at least read—contrary to the general consensus about people from Astaris.
He had to read his magic book to make a living, after all.
A few minutes later, he was finally ready.
Moving on to the uniform, he was almost scared to touch it. The fabric looked incredibly high-end and expensive. It consisted of formal wear: a long-sleeved shirt, a blazer, and tailored slacks.
Aside from the navy blue sleeves, his slacks and blazer were a crisp white, finished with sharp blue trim along the edges. The white name tag now featured markings gleaming in a gold font.
"Solomon Weise," he murmured.
Next to his name, a golden crown was etched into the blank space, flickering with a faint rainbow sheen.
Though he had several questions, he decided to put them off for now. He was running out of time—only about ten minutes left before breakfast. Thanks to his experience wearing performance suits, he managed to put the uniform on without any major setbacks.
"Nice..." Seeing himself in the mirror, he couldn't help but feel impressed. Not only did it fit perfectly, but it was also unsettlingly comfortable and light. It almost felt as if he were wearing nothing at all.
Solomon made a mental note to double-check that he was actually wearing clothes before stepping out of his room.
...
As he walked down the hallway, he gazed out at the yard. Since the royal dorms were situated at the very back of the dormitory area, the surrounding grounds were massive. There was an entire training ground enclosed by thick trees, fenced in by weapon and armor racks, with training dummies lined up along the northern edge. By Ars's standards, it might have looked somewhat primitive, but considering it was a dedicated training ground for just five people, it was pure luxury.
Thinking about it, it was the perfect place to train. Based on the layout the butler had given him last night, he was the only one staying in the back wing of the mansion.
"Hmm?" Out in the field, he spotted a blonde boy around his age holding a worn-down sword, swinging the blade in a single, repetitive pattern. Although there were other people on the grounds, the boy was on the opposite side of where the royal knights were training. Moreover, it seemed as if no one was paying him any attention—as if he were just an ant strolling by.
The boy's frame was imposing; he had thick shoulders and a lean build that suggested years of grueling discipline. Even Solomon, who took a quiet pride in his own physique, found himself impressed. But a question tugged at his mind: what was a swordsman doing in a dormitory meant for mages? Was he perhaps a knight in training, not a student?
Soon after, Solomon arrived at the dining hall. A long table stood in the middle of the room, featuring four seats evenly distributed along its sides and a single chair positioned at the far head of the table. Looking around, Solomon realized he was one of the last two people yet to take a seat. Consequently, the moment he entered the room, all eyes focused on him.
"Well, it seems we are complete. Please... take a seat," greeted the girl sitting at the head of the table. She had iridescent silver hair, effortlessly disheveled, cascading down to her waist and framing a slim, sharp face. Her high yet subtle cheekbones defined her soft appearance, and her incredibly fair skin—pale and clean as porcelain—contrasted perfectly with her pink, rosebud lips. However, what caught Solomon's attention most were her almond-shaped eyes, which tilted slightly upward at the outer corners to give her a striking, cat-like appearance. Just like the vibrant pin on her clothes, her irises were a bright violet that popped vividly against her silver hair. Her upper eyelids were slightly lowered, giving her a calm, enigmatic look. Staring closely, it almost seemed as if her eyes were glowing.
'Damn... what a face,' Solomon couldn't help but admire her.
"Well... apart from the other Allflame, everyone who should be here is here." A soft smile accompanied her opening words.
"I believe it will only do us good to get to know each other. So, let me start," she said, standing from her seat. The crisp white blazer and skirt further enhanced her striking looks.
"I'm Kath Moonstone. The eldest daughter of Herwin Moonstone, and I study under Spiritualism. It is a pleasure to meet you all." During her introduction, she made sure to glance at everyone in the room. She met each of their eyes, her posture held impeccably high, though her smile remained warm and polite.
After taking her seat again, she glanced at the girl directly to her left, signaling her to go next.
"Uhm, hello... everyone... I'm... Selene Arcane. I'm the youngest daughter of the Arcanes, and I study under... Magic Engineering," she stuttered, nervously fidgeting with her fingers.
Unlike the others, Selene Arcane seemed far more withdrawn. However, her appearance somewhat contrasted with her shy personality. She had vibrant periwinkle hair that fell just to her shoulders and large, soft, inquisitive eyes of a pastel pink—creating a striking, attention-grabbing color palette that perfectly matched the pink academy pin fastened to her uniform. Framed by a pair of round glasses, her face screamed of intelligence, curiosity, and a generally studious nature. Devoid of any sharp or aggressive angles, she projected a strong sense of warmth and innocence.
"Although we've met before, I'm glad to see you again, Selene," Kath greeted her with a smile.
"Likewise... Miss Kath," she replied awkwardly.
'Next up would be...' Solomon, who had been listening attentively, turned to look at the only other boy at the table.
"Apollo Allflame. Nice to meet you all," the boy with clean, medium-length blonde hair spoke next. One side of his hair was swept back, while the other fell in a silken curtain over his face. Although a practiced smile rested on his lips, his sharp, bright red eyes remained strangely listless—as if he were only living because he was breathing. Nonetheless, he was undeniably handsome, possessing the poised, heavy-lidded grace of a lion cub; a prince who had been handed everything in life since birth, a status only further emphasized by the gleaming gold pin fastened to his chest.
"Well, it's a pleasure to share the same dormitory as the Crown Prince," Kath said, slightly bowing her head.
Apollo scoffed lightly before tilting his head, reciprocating her bow.
As he studied his fellow dormmates, a cold sweat broke out across his neck, and a deep, suffocating wave of nervousness washed over him. Not only were they all members of the most powerful noble families he had ever heard of, but the Crown Prince of the entire empire was sitting right in front of him. The realization hit him like a punch to the gut, this was the very same prince whose grand parade had been completely derailed by Solomon's massive magical stunt back in Katharos.
But as he thought about it, if Apollo was an imperial prince, why was Kath the one sitting at the head of the table?
"Well, lastly, let's greet a new face," Kath said, turning to look at Solomon. A cold smile was plastered on her face, and her eyes stared intently at him, as if trying to figure out whether he was a friend or a foe.
With all the attention suddenly gathered on him, his heartbeat started to rise.
"I'm..." Albeit nervous, Solomon started to introduce himself.
"The anomalous magician. Was it?" With a plotting smirk, Apollo interrupted Solomon, sending looks of immediate curiosity and concern rippling across the room.